Signaling apparatus



A. l. WOODRING. SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6. 1922.

PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

AJ'. I V'oodring;

A. 1. wooomma.

SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. I922.

.PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V ms w 7 V I '5 ZllII/(IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAIIIIII Inventor", A. .[/V'ocairing', by

Attorne il atented Sept. 26, 11922..

ALBERTO I. WOODRING, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSZGNQR, BY MESNE i, an

tea-rear evict.

ASSIGNMENTS,

TO NATIONAL SAFETY DEVICES COMPANY, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

$IGNALING nrrannrus.

Application filed. March 16, 1922.

fication.

My invention relates to improvements in signaling apparatus, particularly to audible signaling devices, and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide mechan sm operable after an initial starting impulse imparted thereto to thenceforth automatically actuate one or more signaling devices as desired; second, to combine in said mechanism different fluid pressure motors to conjointly perform different functions pertaining to said automatic actions; third, to furnish means for dissociating one from another of said signaling devices for separate actuations, and further, to otherwise improve the construction and operation of this class of invention as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

These objects have been accomplished by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1. is a diagrammatic elevation of my improved signaling apparatus, parts being shown in section or broken away; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of an operating-- valve. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevalion and partly in vertical medial section, of the spring-barrel and'dash-pot of the device. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of said parts including the contact-device, parts of the dash-pot being shown in section. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the side of said spring-barrel and dash-pot opposite that of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top plan or the parts shown in Figs. 3 to with parts removed or broken away.

Fig. '7 is a central horizontal section of the startingmotor. Fig. 8 is a central hori- :contal section of the relaymotor.

lily improved signaling apparatus may be employed in any location for the operation of signals of any kind which include a movable operating element. t is especially designed for use on locomotives or motorpropelled cars or vehicles. As used thereon, it may be employed to cause audible signals,

Serial No. 544,232.

such as a whistle or hell, and may at will,

be used to operate these singly or simultaneously.

The invention herein, combines various new features and functions with others which I have shown heretofore in my 00- pending applications for patents, Serial Numbers 481,986, 520,918 and 530,315.

As employed on railway locomotives or motor-cars,'my invention is adapted to actu'ate a whistlesignal as an alarm for highway crossings or for ring an alarm-bell simultaneously or when desired.

In the sounding of av whistle alarm at highway crossings a special number of inother purposes, and to termittent blasts are commonly prescribed by railroad regulation. This signal comprises two blasts each of two seconds duration separated and followed by silent intervals of one second each, and succeededby two blasts each of one secondduration separated by a silent interval of one second.

Fluid pressure is preferably used in the different motors of said apparatus, which maybe of any kind, but for vehicles of the class mentioned, compressed air has been found to be most convenient and universally applicable.

The numerals 1 and 108 respectively designate a whistle and a bell as often used on locomotives. The whistle has an operating lever 2 to open its valve. To actuate this whistle signal intermittently to produce a highway-crossing signal such as thatheretofore described. l employ a rock-body 43 of annular shape adjustably secured upon a rock-shalt 48 concentrically. A disk 50 is fixedly mounted on the outer end of the shaft 48 on a squared portion thereofby means of a nut 49, this disk having a portion its edge provided with teeth, and a bar 51, secured radially across the rock-body 43 by means of screws 52,11as terminal teeth on its inner end which mesh adjustingly with any of the teeth on the disk 50. Said rock-shaft 48 traverses centrally a housing (30 and a spring-barrel 58, being rotatably mounted in bearing opening in an end partition of 60 between barrel 58 and the dashpot 61. Said housing and dash-pot are integral with a body casting 9 which is pivotally mounted on a boss 10 fixed to some overhead support, depending therefrom, and the body 9 may be held in a horizontally adjusted position by means of a set-screr-1 ll. ll spiral spring is mounted within the spring-barrel (it) with its outer end secured thereto and its inner end secured to said rock-shaft. Referring to l 5, the numeral 5% denotes a bar positioned longitudinally and horizontally along one side of said housing, has a longitudinal slot 55 and is secured to the housino' for longitudinal adjustment by means or screws 56 fastened throughsaid slot. One end of said bar 5% has terminal teeth 57 which mesh with any of theteeth 53 on the spring-barrel 58 which is seated in a hollow of the housing The screws may be slightly loosened that the ear 54- may he slid baclr to uninesh its teeth from the teeth 58 before returning it to mesh with other teeth, thus varying the tension of the spring; 59. i

That part of. the rock-shaft 48 which eX- tends into the dash-pot 61 has a crank 63 on whose pin pivotally mounted one end of the connecting-r0 l 64: whose other end is pivotally connected to a cross-pintle 65 in a cupped opening oi the piston 66 which fits saiddash-pot. 'llheinterior of the dash-pot below said piston is filled with a quantity of oil 62. The )iston has a vertical opening inqwhieh is seated a ball check-valve 6'1.

Referring to Fig. at, the numeral 69 denotes a port in the wall of the dash-pot opening thereinto opposite the rock-shaft and lead ing outwardly into the upper end of a pas sage 68 which leads downwardly into communication with the horizontal passage 71 in the base or the dash-pot, and the inner end of this passage 71 has communication with the lower part of the dash-pot by means of the port 70. A threaded adjusting screw 72 is seated in the passage 71, traversing also aistu'liing-box '73 and this screw has a hand-wheel for turning it to cause it to more or less limit the discharge opening at the lower end of the passage (38.

A portion of the circumferential periphery of the rock-body .l? is removed to provide a number or projections ts, 45, 46 and 47, the projections l ft and 4-5 being; of a determined length, these being separated from each other and the teeth a5 and d6 being separated by intervals of a determined length. The teeth 4:6 and Q? are each oi? determined length and are separated by an interval of a determined length 0% that preceding.

The numeral 74 denotes a starting-motor operated by compressed air derived from a supply in a reservoir 93. As shown in Fig. 7 this motor has a cylinder containing a reciprocatory piston 75 with a rod 77 project ing outwardly therefrom. A. helical spring 78 Within said cylinder is mounted around said rod engaged between said piston and one of the cylinder heads. One end of a connecting-rod 85 is pivotally mounted on a pintle 84- extending rem the outer extremity or the rod 4 i, the other end oi the rod OF b fln' l. lwblv t J l oo en. dCijUSml connec ed to no icon body 43 by means of a pintle-bolt 86 traversmg a short longitudinal slot 85 in said rod. 1 his slot oermits ad ustment or the lenvth W or thrust or the rod be in varying the rockmg movements of said rock-body to vary the .1! W H F l 4. speed thereoi. The motor 4% contains a longitudinal passage 81, one end of which communicates by means oi? the port with the interior of the (lf/lllltldl', and its other end communicates by way of a port 8'2 with an angle-coupl1n;; 83 on the upper end of a vertical pipe 87 whose lower end communicates with the chamber 88 containing a clicclnvalre. An adjusting screw is seated in the end oi": a cylinder 'Z l to vary the area of the port 79. A screw-plug 76 is titted in the threaded opening in this end of the cylinder, and may be removed to permit the seating in said opening oi a conduit loading to a registering device, not shown.

The pro ectmns i to a l" inclusive, when the motor i l: is actuated to reel: the roclo body 4:? in one direction tensioniug the spii'al spring 55 on the cessation ct action of the motor and the consequent reversbd rocking of the roclebody successively intermittently engage a contac" device and thrust it outwardly. This contact-device comprises a pair of arms pivoted on opposite sides of a s'vinging arm 37' on a pintle l0, the other ends having a roller rotatably mounted between them in the path (Xi rocking movements of said projections. Stop-shoulders 338 on the lower end or the arm 37 are engaged by the arms when the projections move downwardly so that said projections thrust the arms Z15 and arm 37 swinging'ly outwardly. although said arms 39 yield upwardly withoutswing' the arm 3? when the projections move upwardly. The arm 87 at its upper end has an angularly directed part mounted to rock in a bearing 36 forming; part of a braclmt-arin ll fixedly mounted on said housing-r 60. The other end of this aiu rular nnit is widened at 3:) and has a vertical arm 34.

The numeral 8 denotes another .u'iotor cylinder fixed on or made integral with said housing and dash-pot, horizontal, and positioned above said housing. shown in section in said 8, contains in an end chamber let a reciprocatory piston 12 fixed on a rod l. The outwardly projectinof end of said rod is squared and a squared sleeve 5 is mounted thereon slidingly. The rod has a number of bolt-holes 6 to receive adjustably a pivot-bolt 7 on one end of which one end oi" a connecting-rod is pivoted. The other end of said rod 3 is pivotally connected to the upper extremity of the whistleoperating lever 2.

The cylinder 8 is divided by means oi This cylinder,

partitions into three chambers 14, 2d and 28. A cupped spring-housing 18. is ex.- teriorly threaded and seated adjustably in a threaded opening in the partition 19 and contains a short helical spring 20 which bears against the solid valve 2S'to thrust it yielding-1y against an orii'iced seat in the other partition22, said valve having a boss 27 extending into the chamber 28, the boss having a hemispherical end. The adjacent cylinder-head is orificed to seat the reciprocatory rod 29 whose inner end is hemispherically cohcaved to fit the rounded end of the boss 27 in alinement therewith and the rod 29 has a longitudinal central bore 30 whose outer end is angularly directed to open outwai l y of the cylinder when the rod is in one position. On the threaded outer extremity of said rod 29 is adjustably mounted a socket-nut 32 secured thereto by means of a set-screw The convex outer end of the nut 32 contacts the adjacent vertical face oi the arm 34. The numeral 21 denotes a bypass in the cylinder 8 connecting the two outermost chambers 14 and 28. The numeral 25 denotes a coupling-member, one end of which is in communication with the chamber 2 1:, the bore of said member being adjustably varied by means of an adjustingscrew 26. The outer end of the member 25 is in communication with an angle-coupling 97, a riser 96, and a horizontal pipe 95, the latter coupled at 94 to the vertical supply pipe 92 which leads to the air reservoir The chamber 1 1 of the cylinder 8 contains a helical spring 18 around the rod 4: and engaged between said piston 12 and the lefthand head of the cylinder. An adjusting nut 31 is mounted on the inward end of the rod 29 to variably limit the outward movement thereof.

Said cylinder has a port 15 in communication with an elongated valve-chamber 16 containing a ball check-valve 1. and said chamber has a communication with an angle-coupling 98, a riser 99, a horizontal pipe 100. and a riser 101, the lower end of the latter communicating by means oi. a T- coupling 102, with a conduit 105 which leads to the compressed air motor 106 which, in a well known way, may actuate a plunger to thrust upwardly on an eccentrically mounted stem 10'? fixed on a crank-pin of saidbell 108. A valve-chamber 103 is in communication between the coupling 102 and coupling 109 connecting sections of the supply-pipe 92, said chamber containing an need rock-valve manually actuable by means of a handwheel 10 1.

A horizontal pipe 89 connects the checkvalve chamber 88 with a T-coupling 91 of: the suply pipe 92 above the valve-chamber valve-chamber connects and n occasional communication of the pipe 89. As shown in Fig. 2,

the

the lower parto'l' this chamber 90 has a compartment in which is mounted the vertically movable valve 122. The diminished lower part of the valve is surrounded by a short helicalspring 126 which tends to yieldingly thrust the valve upwardly against its seat closing the port 121 which leads into a chamber 118. 011 said valve is fixed an upright channeled part 120 forming a guide within said port, and on said member 120 is lined an upright stem with hemispherical upper extremity. 1n the removable upper section 11 1 is a central opening in which is slidably mounted a reciprocahle stem 115 having a longitudinal central bore 116 whose upper end is directed outwardly to communicate with the atmosphere when the stem is in its uppermost position. The lower end of the stern 115 is of larger diameter then the stem 119 and has a hemispherical socket 117 to receive and {it the hemisphericalupper end oi? said stem 119. The lower section. 90 has a port 1125 effecting-'- communication between the lower chamber and the left-hand section of said pipe 89 leading to the supply pipe 92. Said section 90 also has in its opposite side a port 12 1 effecting communication between the chamber 118 and the righthand section of the pipe 89. Spaced downcurving lugs 113 project upwardly from the section 11 1 and are connected by a pintle 112. The numeral 110 denotes an operating handle having a flattened part provided with a notch 111 in which the pintle 112 is seated. and the lower edge of the flattened part is curved downwardly to normally be positioned above and rest upon the top of the stem 115. The handle 110 is positioned in the apparatus conveniently for manual manipulation by an engineer, but I have also provided another operating valve 129 below which is of the same construction as that just described, but is provided with an operating pivoted pedal 130 instead of said handle 110. The-armon which thispedal is mounted curves over and contacts-with the stem 115 in the same way. The re spective ports 125 and 124.- 01? the lower chamber 129 are likewise in communication with sections of the horizontal pipe128, the leithand section of which communicates by means of a T-coupling 127, with the said supply-pipe 92, while the ot ier section communicates with the sectional riser 131 which leads'into the bottom or the clieckvalve chamber 88. i i Y 1 have also provided means for use inautomatically operating the apparatus by engagements of an operating element with contact-blocks'lel positioned shortly in ad Vance of the h iway crossing; as the ve; cle'is in transla ory passage past them. The numeral 13'? denotes valve-chamber whose interior is divided by means of a partition 1 10 into two (JOIllPlilUllGi'lilS, said partition having a valve-seat to seat the conedhead valve 139 which has a stem depending through anopening in the bottom of the chamber. Said stein ha an angular pas: sage 111 adapted, when the valve is seated, to effect communication between the right hand compartment and also the riser 135, and the atmosphere below said chamber. The upper end of the riser 1355 leads into the bottom of chamber 131 containing a check-valve, and said chamber communicates by very of a short pipe 133 and a coupling 13211061 the riser 181 below the other checkvalve chamber 88. Jl he left-hand compartment of the chamber 137 hascommunication by way of a horizontal pipe 136 and an angle-coupling with the lower end of the supply-pipe 92. The numeral denotes a vertical reciprocable stem on whose lower end a roller 14-8 is rotatably mounted to ride upon and along; the track abutment 1&1. T he stem 1 12 is seated slidably in .an opening); in a bracket 148 fixedly mounted on the vehicle and passes through the hollow housing 14%? in line with theyalvestem above t. The stem has an annular tlang c 1 1-2 within said housing; and a helical 1416 is mounted around said. stern 0115;: between said flange and the top. oi? housing.

@peration: The valve in thevalve chamber 1041 may be kept closed usually when it is to be ordinarily used only manually in the operation of the bell 108 in the usual way, as the bell is actuated by the motor 105 when the said valve is opened by means of the hand-wheel 10d. It it is desired to have the bell operated simultaneously with the operation. ot the whistle 1. the valve is left closed. il hen the engineer manually or pedally actuates the handle 1.10 or the pedal 130 of the likeoperating-valves in the chambers 90 or 129 the stem 115 is-torced downwardly against the stem 119 pushing: open the valve 122. whereby a communicaiion established between the chambers 123 and 118, so compressed air may pass from the pipe through said operatingwalve to the pipe 89 and check-valve 88 by way of said ports 125 and 1 1. The check-valve is thus lifted. air passing through the riser 8? to the starting-motor 7 1, pushing the piston to the right, compressing the spring. 78. the connecting-rod thenroclring the rockbody e3 upwardly while placing the spiral spring 59 under tension, the projections ll to 4 7 idly moving the arms 39. The enegineer then releases the operating valve the spring 126 reacts to close the valve 122 while the compressed air in the chamber 118 pushes up the stem 115 to the elevated position shown separating the lower socketed end of the stem 115 from tl'e upper end of the stem 119, permitting air to exhaust from 1 .1 n'ough the bore or passage 11 to the atmosphere as also from the motor 7 1 and the passaoes let-ding to said chamber 118.

The springs and 59 now are released 70 and react, the latter returm the rock-body 3 to its first position. the pr jections as to chamber now passes into the chamber through the by-pass 1.1 to the chi ber r fil s-+1: an l-l h nus in. so 1. 1c hit c L, nsulin 12, mg the helical spring 12:2 the piston-rod Slllftlfiq' 8 and the whist'e-op i left to sound the whistle i lever 2 to t each act-l ion 0;" the contacticvice by the projection. on

the rock-ho durations of the bl sl's a and their -als being such as :zilread described 3 i 1 y-crossing sisrual. ll will be seen c ay-motor 4 thus tectively acts in siipplying the considerable power ueces v to be employed in o ing the whit lever, and, i. den from tl operator. At each of action oi the contact-device. the aim returns to the right because 01 tl e air on the annulus 31, separating the stem from thelioss 2? and as the exhaushport in em now open to t ne atmos 3he .sted troni the chamber 12 by i 01 the hy-pass 2 and the chamber spring 13 reacts to return the piston 12 to 153 initial posi ,o it each end oi" the rocking; movements of the rock-body 13 the piston in the (lash-pot 61 in moving compresses the oil contents 62 to cushion the action e?- fQCtl'VQlY in relieving the spring; 59 7mm GX- cessiye strain and preventing jarring; or": the movingparts. ear-airing smooth operati u. it portion ot the em each compression moves through the bot port '10, thence upwardly through the passage 08 to the upper port (39, and ti h this port into the dash-pot upon said p'non, and the piston is lifted, this i'luid moves down through the piston-port 67.

ld hen the abutments along the line, for actuation oil the valve 139, each such actuation permits passage of the compressed air into the 1? whence it passes the check-valves in t 1e chambei 134-. and 88. and by way of. the riser 8T enters the starting-motor '74:, operatin he whistlesignal in the niriner above described.

An important feature of my invention is the provision or means for operating" the bell signal 108 at each actuation o the whistle-signal. This is efiected as follows.

the s 'Ull The valve in the chainber 103 being closed, and the operating-valve 90 being actuated by the engineer, the apparatus functions as above described in producing the Whistle signal. lVhen compressed air is delivered into the relay-motor chamber 12 it pushes back the ball check-valve 17 in said chamber 16, permitting the fluid to pass by way of the communicating pipes 99, 100 and 101 to the pipe 105 and the bell-motor 106 thus causing the latter to ring the bell 108. The bell is operated during the actuations of the whistle by its own momentum, and will continue ringing for some time after the air is exhausted from the chamber 14, because of its own momentum,

vl is to be understood that considerable modifications may be made in my said invention, witl'iout departing from the principles thereof or from the scope of its proto ct i on.

lilaving described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. in a signaling apparatus, a signaling device having a movable operating element, a rcsiliently-controlled rock-body having projections, a contactclevice connected operativelv to said operating element and actuated by the projections on said rock-body with stepday-step movements to operate the signaling device, a motor actuated by and has a communication with a source of fluid under pressure, a valve-chamber in aid communication, a resiliently-controlled valve in said chamber, a valve-operating ele ment in said chamber projecting therefrom and ha ing a release-port for exhausting the fluid from said motor only when the valve closed after having been opened, and operating connections between said motor and said roclcbody.

2. In a signaling apparatus, a signaling device having a movable operating element, a resilient]y-controlled roclobody having project-ions, a contact-device connected operatively to said operating element and actuated by the projections on. said rock-body with stepby-step movements to operate the signaling device, a motor actuated by and hav ing a communication with a source of fluid under pressure, a valve-chamber in said communication, a resiliently-controlled valve in said chamber, a valve-operating element n said chamber projecting therefrom and having a release-port for exhausting the fluid from said motor only when the valve is closed after vhaving been opened, operating connections between said motor and said rock-body, and a relay-motor actuated by said fluid and also in communication with said source or" fluid pressure by way of said valve-chamber, said relay-motor being operatively positioned between and connected to elements of said movable operating element and said contact-device to thrust the former at each actuation oi"- the latter by said rockbody.

3. In a signaling apparatus having a movable operating element, a resiliently-com trolled rock-body having spaced projections, a contactdevice connected operatively to said operating element and actuated by the projections on said rock-body with step-loystep movements to operate the signaling device, a motor actuated by fluid under pressure, connected to and adapted to rock said rock-body in one direction, a valve-chamber containing a check-valve in communication with said motor, a valve-chamber containing an operating-valve in communication with said check-valve chamber and with a source of fluid under pressure, and said valvechamber containing means for eXhaustino said fluid there-from after an actuation and releas of its operating-valve.

l. In a signaling apparatus having a movable operating element, a resiliently-con- I said fluid therefrom after an actuation and release of its operating-valve, a by-pass conduit also in communication with said checkvalve and with. said source of fluid supply, asecond valve-chamber in said communication containing an operating-valve, the lastmentioned chamber containing means for exhausting said fluid therefrom after an actuation and release of its operating-valve, and independent means for actuating said operating-valves.

5. In a signaling apparatus, a source of fluid. supply under pressure, a whistle-signa l having a movable operating element, a bell-signal, a motor actuated by fluid pressure operatively connected to said bell signal, a resiliently-controlled movable body having projections, a contact-device actuated by the projections on said movable body with ste'p-by-step movements, a starting-motor actuated by fluid pressure operatively connected to said movable body, a relay-motor having an element operatively connected to said whistle-operating element, said relay-motor being in communication with said source of fluid supply, and containing resiliently-controlled valvular means actuated by said contact-device for "rig comnuui cation of the 'l'luid supply and including means for @IlllilllStlllg such iiu d theremakin 9' and breaking actuations, tween said relay incluf ug' a 4 check-valve, means of connnunicat tween said starting-motor, said source of fluid supply and the said communication said lJQll-Il'lOtOl cont: lung a ion beiotor and 'ubor tiyely connected to said movable boo a relay-motor having an element operatively connected to said whistle opcrating-element,

said relay-motor being in communication witn said source of fluid supply, and containing resihently-controlled Valvular means actuated by said contact-device for making and breaking communi ion of the motor with said fluid supply d including means for exhausting such Flu therefrom after such making and actuations,

other means of communication between said relay-motor and said bell-motor includinga valve-chamber containing checlovalvc, means of communication between said starting-niotor said source of fluid supply and the said communication between the relaymotor and the bell-motor and containing a valve-chamber, an operating-Valve in said chamber, and means in said chamber tor e2;- haueting said fluid from said starting-motor at'ter operation and release of said operating-valve, and Valvular means for manually controlling); the communication between said source 01 fluid-supply and said bell-motor.

'1'. In a signaling apparatus, a source of fluid :ezupply under pressure, a whistle-signal, a bell-signal, mechanism for intermittently actuating said whistle-signal including a starting-motor and a power relay motor in communication respectively with said source of fluid supply, an actuating motor for said bell-signal operated by fluid-pressure, an operatii1g-valye in communication with said source of fluid supply, and said starting-motor, and controllable means of communication between.

said bell-motor and said relay-motor.

8. In combination a bell signaling de vie, a thud-operated motor operatively connected to said bell signaling device, a valvechamber in communication between said bell motor and a supply of fluid under pressure, resiliently controlled valvular means in said valve-chamber for controlling said communication, a resiliently controlled operating element having a cam thereon, and valve-tripping means associated with said Yalyular means and operative to actuate the latter by engagement with said cam only when. the latter has been shifted in one uirectiou and is reactively returning to its first position.

Signed at Waterloo, Iowa, this 13th day of lvilarch, 1922.

ALBERTO ll. VVOODRING. 

